<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>i'd choose your arms over any castle by droplets</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29028738">i'd choose your arms over any castle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/droplets/pseuds/droplets'>droplets</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Mostly Fluff, With a teeny tiny bit of angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:54:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>820</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29028738</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/droplets/pseuds/droplets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, Simon likes to be the little spoon.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daphne Bridgerton/Simon Basset</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>164</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i'd choose your arms over any castle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don't know what happened. I watched Bridgerton, found it okay, thought I'd forget about it in approximately a week, but apparently not. Simon and Daphne now live rent free in my head, along with this ficlet that I just had to write down.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They have a routine. Every night, as they prepare for bed, Daphne puts on her nightdress, only to be divested of it mere moments later, as Simon's eager hands and lips roam her body, leaving a trail of fire behind. Then, once they have exhausted themselves and manage to tear their gazes away from each other – which often proves to be incredibly difficult, as Simon can't quite get enough of her eyes, glistening with joy, and Daphne of his effusive, almost dorky smile –, she turns around to settle into his embrace. Snaking one arm around her midriff, Simon pulls Daphne as close as possible without making it uncomfortable for either of them, and presses a good night kiss to the top of her head. And then they sleep. Except, sometimes, that is not what happens.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The palace is pitch dark, the sound of his footsteps bouncing of the walls in a disconcerting echo. He can barely hear it above his thundering heartbeat, and though he doesn't know what he's running from, he has the instinct to flee. He turns one corner after the other, hurrying down a number of corridors, but still feels like he's getting nowhere. Then he sees a figure, an imposing shadow – it's his father. In a thunderous voice, he speaks: </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Say your name." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The words are stuck in his throat. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Say your name or I'll have you thrown in the dungeon," He commands again. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"M-my n-n-name..." he tries, but it comes out as no more than a whisper. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His father steps closer and he's towering over him, raising his fist... </em>
</p><p>... and Simon startles awake.</p><p>It takes him a moment to orient himself and realize that he's in his bed, no, their bed, Daphne sleeping beside him.</p><p>"It was just a nightmare," he tells himself, taking a deep breath, willing himself to regain his composure. But when he closes his eyes again, he's immediately transported back to that cruel world. He can't sleep like this.</p><p>"A walk," he thinks, "in the garden." The cool night air should help him put his mind at ease. He scoots away from Daphne, slowly standing up, taking great care not to rouse her, but his efforts are in vain, and a moment later she's looking at him with sleepy eyes, confusion and worry evident on her face.</p><p>"Is something wrong?" she asks.</p><p>His first instinct is to say no.</p><p>"Nothing. Go back to sleep, my love."</p><p>But Daphne is not so easily fooled. She knows him, knows him better than anyone – except, perhaps, for Lady Danbury – and she can tell that something's amiss. So she raises an eyebrow in question and Simon sighs.</p><p>"I couldn't sleep," he offers, not particularly wanting to elaborate on the why.</p><p>"May I help somehow?" There is so much compassion, so much kindness in her voice and the way she looks at him that his heart feels heavy for a moment. Before he could answer, he sees Daphne slipping out from under the covers and she quickly grabs her nightdress before crossing the room to come and stand before him. She takes his face in her hands and looks deep into his eyes.</p><p>"Please, Simon."</p><p>He has to tell her. He knows he has to. No more secrets, they had agreed. Grabbing her wrists, he gently moves her hands to his shoulders and pulls her closer. With his head dropped, he says in an almost whisper:</p><p>"I had a nightmare. About my father."</p><p>Daphne simply nods and then thinks for a moment before speaking.</p><p>"I understand. I wish I could say or do something comforting."</p><p>The tiniest hint of a smile appears on Simon's lips.</p><p>"It's enough that you are here," he says. "The feeling will go away eventually, you mustn't worry."</p><p>That's not enough for Daphne.</p><p>"As a child, I was afraid of the thunder," she says softly. "And so, every time it rumbled so loud that I feared the sky would come down upon us... my father took me into his arms and I felt safe."</p><p>Still standing, with Daphne's hands in his, he looks at her questioningly.</p><p>"Would that...help? Perhaps?" she asks tentatively. "If I held you?"</p><p>And Simon is so incredibly touched by her desire to help and to understand, by her love for him, and his own for her that the only thing he can do is bend down and press his lips to hers. It's short, but he pours everything he feels into it.</p><p>"I don't know," he admits as they break apart, "But I'm very much willing to try."</p><p>They go back to bed, Simon lying on his left side and Daphne presses close to him, mimicking his usual position. His frantic heartbeat has somewhat slowed down, Simon realizes, as he feels Daphne's hand over his heart.</p><p>"Is it any better?" she whispers into his ear.<br/><br/>"Much better," he says with a smile.</p><p>And then they sleep. Soundly.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it! I have some more ideas bouncing around in my head, so there might be some new chapters coming, but I'm not sure yet. Kudos and reviews are much appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>